A&M official admits to calling school president a 'putz'

Updated 9:35 pm, Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin, center, said through a spokesman that the situation is being handled as a personnel matter.

Texas A&M president R. Bowen Loftin, center, said through a spokesman that the situation is being handled as a personnel matter.

Photo: Nick De La Torre

A&M official admits to calling school president a 'putz'

1 / 1

Back to Gallery

COLLEGE STATION – At 9:03 p.m. on Oct. 1, a poster dubbed "UtayAg" on the popular Texas A&M fan website TexAgs opined, "I have to admit that the stupidity on this board always brings me back to the point that I know I'm not the dumbest (expletive) out there."

His fellow posters beg to differ. Jeff Toole, A&M athletics' chief financial officer and senior associate athletic director, admitted on Tuesday that he has disparaged A&M president R. Bowen Loftin on TexAgs – dubbing Loftin a "putz" and a "hopelessly underqualified puppet" – under the alias of UtayAg.

"I was posting what I thought was an anonymous opinion," Toole said Tuesday.

Toole was outed on the website by a poster dubbed "iPanic" who searched UtayAg's posting history, and found one from May 5, 2010, where UtayAg identifies himself as the Aggies' CFO for athletics.

"That slipped my mind," Toole said Tuesday when asked why he thought he was posting anonymously when he had already identified himself under the handle.

Toole, who graduated from A&M in 1980, makes $200,000 annually, according to the Texas Tribune. He has held the position for about 2 ½ years, and was brought onboard to help A&M athletics through a financial quagmire that includes repaying the university a $16 million loan.

Loftin spokesman Jason Cook wrote via email Tuesday: "President Loftin is aware of the posts and discussed the situation with athletic director Bill Byrne (Tuesday) afternoon. At this point, we are handling this situation as a personnel matter, and we will decline to comment further, in accordance with our standard practice."

Byrne said in a statement, "I have taken disciplinary action in regard to comments made by athletics chief financial officer Jeff Toole on an internet message board about President R. Bowen Loftin. It is imperative to have respect for those we work with, and especially the leader of our University. Under no circumstances should derogatory names be used when speaking about anyone within the University community. The matter will be handled internally."

On June 28, UtayAg engaged in a spirited discussion with several posters about the merits of Loftin, who became A&M's president in January 2010 and was instrumental this past summer in A&M's exit from the Big 12 and impending entrance into the Southeastern Conference. At one point, a poster demanded UtayAg "back off Loftin."

"Absolutely not," UtayAg responded. "Guy is a putz …"

UtayAg also pointed out Loftin dancing for a short period in front of A&M students on a couple of occasions at athletic events.

"I don't give a crap if the idiot does the dougie or the bernie or not. Be a frigging President or clear out. This is Texas A&M, not Sam Houston State," UtayAg wrote.

UtayAg over the past year has taken multiple jabs at Loftin, and often chimed in on posts as a fact-checker concerning A&M athletics, especially its finances. He also wasn't shy about expressing his opinion. Concerning football coach Mike Sherman's raise and extension last summer?

"It's a one year extension," UtayAg offered on July 22. "Big deal."

Toole on Tuesday described himself as a "fan and donor" and said that clouded his posting judgment, even as a high-ranking A&M official.

"This puts my job in jeopardy, and I've made a mistake," he said.

Toole declined to address his primary beef with Loftin. The "putz" imbroglio comes on the heels of A&M football's 6-6 regular season, and speculation this week has centered on Sherman's job security. Multiple A&M insiders have said they expect Sherman (25-25 at A&M) back for a fifth season, however, with the Aggies starting SEC play in September. As for Toole? He continued to post on TexAgs even after news of his name-calling of Loftin broke Tuesday.

"I do want the conspiracy theorist to know however, that the opinion expressed was mine and not that of the AD or the department," UtayAg wrote on TexAgs on Tuesday. "Nor do my personal opinions effect my work or the quality thereof. I do of course fear that I will not long be employed. There is freedom of speech, but not freedom from consequences."

And, finally, words of wisdom from UtayAg on Tuesday: "Wish it hadn't happened so to avoid it yourselves, don't mix beer and typing."